Q&A Tuesday: How to Start an Exercise Plan for Endo

I received a lovely email from Mehwish who wanted to know how to start getting into exercise. I know I used to struggle heaps with how to get into exercise with endometriosis as it was generally a painful experience. I also simply lacked the energy to get moving and it was a constant motivational push to get me to do anything!

So, as part of my new Ask Mel Friday, I thought I would share some tips I have for Mehwish. It is more about my personal experience with endometriosis and exercise. I think we need to accept that exercise is a gradual process and that it takes time, not just to get results but also get the motivation to do it.

More in the video:

Feel free to share your personal experience with exercise and endometriosis and any thoughts on what you found easier or more challenging about it all.

You gave us some wonderful tips in this video! The next step for me is to incorporate some of the super foods you mentioned, because even though I’m eating a lot better now I’m still so tired all the time. Also, your hair looks fabulous!

I agree with what you said in the video, Melissa. You have to start small and it doesn’t have to be a big ordeal. Start with a walk or yoga. Yoga is more relaxing than taxing, as so many other exercises are. I used to be a “I hate exercise” person. But, I have since evolved into a lover of all kinds of forms of exercise. I have always loved softball, so I play on a fall team and on a summer team. I have always loved to run, so I’ve taken that up again (sometimes it’s harder to run when I’m in pain from endo, but I just run through the pain, cause I’m stubborn & refuse to let it take things from me that I enjoy). I have also found that it helps to have a goal, to keep me motivated, as well as a workout buddy. I just trained and rain in the “Warrior Dash” yesterday. It was a 5K mud run. I had my husband and friends counting on me and encouraging me all through training. Now that it’s over, I need to find a new goal. Lastly, I just wanted to say that getting started is the hardest part. You’re tired, you’re in pain and you just want to lay in bed. I get it. That was me. But, once I started doing it, it was like you said, it’s just part of your routine and when you get away from it, you start to miss it. It gives me a way to enjoy my life and appreciate the things that my body can still do for me, despite having stage 4 endo. So, like Nike said, “Just do it!” and I bet you’ll be glad you did. 🙂